A salesperson was standing at the entrance of the shopping mall with a tray full of chocolate. The lady salesperson gave every player of the Bangladesh women’s football team a chocolate while they were entering the Bhat-Bhateni Supermarket.
Seeing the likes of Sabina Khatun-Maria Manda enter the market, from cash counter workers to the supermarket manager, everyone rushed to the front. Some clicked selfies with Sabina and co. and the others sang their praises.
Bangladesh women’s football team emerged SAFF champions for the first time in their history after beating hosts Nepal 3-1. Everyone in Kathmandu is now praising the Bangladesh team. In the morning, when the team was headed towards the supermarket on a bus, whenever their bus stopped in traffic, the people from other cars and motorcycles were waving at the Bangladesh players.
Sabina and co. have been receiving words of praise from Monday night. The Bangladesh team is staying at The Soaltee, one of the premier five-star hotels in Kathmandu. After reaching the team hotel from the Dasarath Stadium on the night of the final, the hotel management greeted the Bangladesh team with a giant cake. The primary stage of the celebration began by cutting the cake.
The Nepalese media also have not shied away from praising the Bangladesh team. Daily Kantipur’s sports page was almost entirely occupied by pictures of the champion Bangladesh team.
The headline read, “Championship dreams crushed once again, Bangladesh now the best in South Asia”.
The Himalayan’s headline read, “Bangladesh obliterates Nepal to become maiden champion”. The report was accompanied by a picture of Sabina and Krishna Rani Sarkar celebrating with the trophy.
The Kathmandu Post wrote, “Nepal’s SAFF nightmare continues. For the first time, they lost to the Tigresses of Bengal.”
The manager of Bhat-Bhateni Super Market Dinesh Pradhan said he was mesmerised by Bangladesh’s playing style, “The girls played incredible football. I loved the way the No.9 (Krishna Rani Sarkar) played. I’m not sad that Nepal lost. That’s how it is in football. The way the Bangladeshi girls tried to keep possession in a wet outfield was incredible. Due to other obligations, I couldn’t go to the stadium. But I watched the match on TV. I was amazed by Bangladesh’s playing style.”
The Kathmandu Post reporter Prajjol Oli heaped praises on the Bangladeshi girls, “Bangladesh played with the same rhythm throughout the tournament. The trophy went to the deserving team. Hat’s off to the Bangladeshi girls.”
A manager at a local restaurant Simon Tamang expressed his admiration for the Bangladesh team, “I took leave from work to go see the match yesterday (Monday). I was a bit sad that Nepal lost. But I really like the way the Bangladeshi girls played. I was shouting from the gallery the entire time. But they didn’t crumble under so much pressure from the crowd. Bangladesh played incredible football.”